


Amazon

by icandrawamoth



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comment Fic, Community: comment_fic, Death, F/M, Family, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Immortality, Love, Married Couple, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 15:17:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8061472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: The tent smells of death, though the man isn't dead yet. Quinn holds her husband's hand, one of the few parts of him that emerges from the white sheet draped over him, spotted and wrinkled against her own near-perfect skin. Her heart aches.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written or the comment_fic prompt "author’s choice, author’s choice, every man has to die."

The tent smells of death, though the man isn't dead yet. Quinn holds her husband's hand, one of the few parts of him that emerges from the white sheet draped over him, spotted and wrinkled against her own near-perfect skin. Her heart aches.

A hand lands on her shoulder, and she looks up at her mother's somber face. "Is it always this hard?" Quinn whispers, dashing away a tear with her free hand.

Her mother sits down beside her, maintaining a comforting contact as their shoulders brush. "The first time is always the same. Next time will be a little easier, and after that, it feels like less each time. But it never stops hurting entirely. Not when you really love them."

"I wish it didn't have to be like this," Quinn says, though she knows it's pointless. She rubs her finger over Daen's wedding band, the one that matches her own. Most women didn't bother marrying their male lovers, it being so seemingly temporary, but Quinn hadn't been able to resist. She loves him so much.

"Every man has to die," her mother says gently. "Otherwise our population would grow unstably large. We're in enough danger of that already."

"It's not fair," Quinn continues, empty protests in the face of grief. "At least with Father you didn’t have to watch it happen."

Her mother sighs. "It wasn't that simple. Losing your father in battle was a different kind of pain. True I didn't watching him grow old and suffer, but you must consider that you have had time to prepare yourself. You had many, many years your father and I didn't." There's a long pause between them before she goes on. "My first husband - my only husband - was like Daen. Just sitting here with you brings the memories right back. It's been nearly two centuries, but I still remember holding his hand just like you're doing now."

Quinn can only nod, not quite knowing what to say. Her mother has never said much about her first love. Perhaps now Quinn can understand why. "I can't imagine loving someone else after this. I can't...I can't imagine going through this again."

"I thought the same." Her mother stands and gives her a sad smile. "Pain fades in time, my love. You will love again, I promise. And we will all be here for you in the meantime." She leans in to kiss Quinn's forehead. "I'll leave you be. I'll have one of the children bring supper."

"Thank you." She listens to her mother leave, and turns back to Daen. She lifts his hand to press a kiss to the pale, tender skin. "No matter how many I may love in some distant future," she swears softly, "none will ever be like you."


End file.
